[Nigel Lee]

Hi guys,  I am 35 now, and been cleaning windows since I was 17.  Mainly domestic work, and mainly in the local villages as I find it more lucrative.

I was doing a large village house today, with a 14x10 (ish) conservatory.  The lady came out with a cup of tea and started to discuss a firm from Weymouth whom she had contacted to give her a quote on the said consevatory.  Inside and out, it wasn't in a bad state by any means.  Only 3 or 4 years old.  This company offered her a "lifetime guarantee", stating they have the products which would keep it clean for life.  Huh?  1 clean, and it never gets dirty again.  Something about a patented oil based formula.  It would take 2 men, 4 days to complete.  4,995 +VAT.

Anyone heard anything about this?  Is it a con, or is it for real?  I didn't take in the name of the firm unfortunately.

She turned them down in any case, thinking it was a con.  I am going to do the job for £250, without the lifetime guarantee  

[Sean Dyer]

con

its not posible

[tomy jackson]

ITS A WINEDY TALE FOR A FUST POST 

[andyM]

Yes I offer this service but for £4,999 no VAT!
It's fantastic and works wonderfully well. Your conservatory will look magnificent!
ps. If customers wish to contact me regarding after sales service just leave a message on my mobile number.
Im probably sunning myself on a beach in Hawaii or in hiding.

[leights]

250 QUID, bit dear arnt you to clean a conservatory, hellbells, u call them a con lollll

[Nigel Lee]

Sorry if I have committed a faux pas, should of probably read the stickys first.  Just been reading loads of threads since I joined.  Just had to speak to someone about this though, lol.  I was just like 

I know I am dear, I certainly ensure I stay the right side of being a rip off merchant though.  Plumbers seem to charge the earth, what makes them so different from us?  In the town you will struggle to get those prices, I know from experience.  To much competition.  In the villages, sometimes just 5 miles down the road, you can charge 50% more.

I am fully booked.  The way I see it, if I can earn x in a day, there is no point in earning x in these one-off jobs.  I need to be making a premium.  I find them more tiring, and your not as sure you won't run into a problem.  The roof is glass, I find cleaning them inside off of steps hard work and labour intensive.  Maybe there is a better way?

You have made me feel guilty, lol, I'm justifying.  I have been charging that type of money and getting 60% or so of the quotes for a long time.  To hit 60% in town I would have to go in at £150, and thats the posh end.  Villages are king in my experience.  Its all about working for those with disposable income for us.

What is the standard price for a job like this then?  I'm a southerner, out in the sticks.

[AuRavelling79]

Nigel - welcome to the forum. Don't feel guilty - £250 in and out is right for what is a good sized conny hard graft - a day's work if done to a high standard. Take no notice of the forum moaners and keep posting.

[Londoner]

There are always those customers who will feel that a ridiculously high price equates to quality.

I was down at Bisley this week, in the gunshop there was a shotgun for £25,000. What makes it that much better than my £600 one? But somebody is going to buy it.

[Perfect Windows]

What is the standard price for a job like this then?  I'm a southerner, out in the sticks.

Wow, that's a dangerous question to ask in here!

You'll be told that £250 is highway robbery and that people like you give us a bad name, as you're similar to people who mug OAPs in the street.  You'll be told you are lying about how much you're earning.  You'll be told that the right price is £30 (always followed by the word "tops", for some reason).

If you're getting the business, you're charging the right price, IMHO.  Good on you for trying to earn a decent living.  Truth is, there are (lots of) people out there who just want the job done well by someone they can rely on.  To a large extent the price is an irrelevance.  (And I'll get shot down for that statement!).

BTW the chances are that if she's called an established company charging £5K they are getting some people saying "yes" or they would have disappeared the first time they had to pay their staff a penny.  It's an odd world...

Vin

[Window Washers]

250 QUID, bit dear arnt you to clean a conservatory, hellbells, u call them a con lollll

if you think thats expensive your way to cheap

[e newlands]

price is bang on for in and out

on average i look at £160 outside and £240/ 250  for in and out

i always sub them out and make 25% on thoes prices

[richard jagger]

If customers are prepared to pay that price then its the right price.

[clarkson]

  Hi
  i agree with the realists here 250 is bottom for a conservatory in and out done properly.

  I also think its unfair to equate the above member asking for a fair days wage for a hard job to the con merchants asking for thousands
 
  they werent towing a caravan behind there van where they or offered to tarmac the drive for 10 grand whilst they where there.

 cheers

  john
   
 
 

[dazmond]

i normally only clean the roof as an add on and charge £50-£60 for an average roof if dirty(outside only) and £20-£30 if its regular(say every other month)on regular window cleaning custies.

if it was in and out on a dirty average sized conny that wasnt a regular custy then i would charge about £150.it wouldnt take all day!maybe half a day(3-4 hours)!!im in the north west though with a lot of competition.

£250 maybe is ok down south as the cost of living is astronomical compared to the north!!!

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

i normally only clean the roof as an add on and charge £50-£60 for an average roof if dirty(outside only) and £20-£30 if its regular(say every other month)on regular window cleaning custies.

if it was in and out on a dirty average sized conny that wasnt a regular custy then i would charge about £150.it wouldnt take all day!maybe half a day(3-4 hours)!!im in the north west though with a lot of competition.

£250 maybe is ok down south as the cost of living is astronomical compared to the north!!!

dazmond we did a guys up in glossop saturday 2 ton huge
beast it was 2 ton outside only took two men 3 hours
i sed my m8 ad underpriced it but custy was over the moon
he owns a conny place he now wants us to clean every connie
he puts up so swings in rounabouts i think m8

[Ste M]

i normally only clean the roof as an add on and charge £50-£60 for an average roof if dirty(outside only) and £20-£30 if its regular(say every other month)on regular window cleaning custies.

if it was in and out on a dirty average sized conny that wasnt a regular custy then i would charge about £150.it wouldnt take all day!maybe half a day(3-4 hours)!!im in the north west though with a lot of competition.

£250 maybe is ok down south as the people are a bit more gullible than us northerners!!!

well said daz

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

ste read my last post m8

[Ste M]

ste read my last post m8

am i going to be part of that team? im a conny roof specialist now 

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

i nearly rang you m8 lol ste was huge bruv
il text u a pic

[Nigel Lee]

i normally only clean the roof as an add on and charge £50-£60 for an average roof if dirty(outside only) and £20-£30 if its regular(say every other month)on regular window cleaning custies.

if it was in and out on a dirty average sized conny that wasnt a regular custy then i would charge about £150.it wouldnt take all day!maybe half a day(3-4 hours)!!im in the north west though with a lot of competition.

£250 maybe is ok down south as the cost of living is astronomical compared to the north!!!

How is the cost of living different in the South to the North West.  London, I get.  But what about outside the city?  What does an average 3 bed semi cost up there?

£150 is pretty much the going rate here in towns, £250 is village prices.  There absolutely is a difference where I am from, in what you can get away with.  More disposable income, much more, and much less competition.  People can't be arsed to canvas the long drives, and spaced out areas.  I advertise in the village mags, and do very well indeed.  The local town paper is useless, everyone can get a window cleaner just like that.

Enjoying reading your wfp conversion by the way...